Remove Rust Stains

For many people, removing stains from clothing is challenging work. Some stains are more persistent and annoying than others. Blood stains, grass stains, and rust stains are among the most tenacious.

You can remove rust stains without buying any special products formulated to remove stains. Expensive stain removers are not particularly effective, but they are expensive. You will be able to remove rust stains by using regular laundry detergent coupled with little effort on your part.

First, remember that there is no stain removal technique which is better, or more effective, than prevention. It is easier to wear clothes that are already ruined than to remove rust stains. If you know that you will be working with rusty objects, wear old clothing that is not important to you. Especially try to wear black or other dark colors that will be less affected by the rust.

However, if you have already stained your clothing, then you will need to remove rust stains. Place the soiled item in the wash with your other laundry. Use laundry detergent and bleach (if the clothing is white) according to the manufacturer's instructions. You must use cold water because hot water will set the stains.

Once you have initially washed the garment, separate it from the rest of the laundry. You absolutely cannot dry the item until the rust stains have been removed. Placing the item in the clothes dryer will set the stain. Examine the item to see if you still need to remove rust stains. You may discover that the stain has already disappeared with no special treatment.

If the spot still remains, you will need to take further action. Using full strength regular laundry detergent, saturate the rust stain. Use an old toothbrush to gently rub the detergent into the fibers of the fabric. In this step, you are not scrubbing to remove the stain, so do not be alarmed if you can still see it. You are just making sure that the detergent has completely absorbed into the fabric.

Once the stain has been thoroughly covered in detergent, fold it or roll it into a small shape. Place the garment aside for a minimum of two days. The garment should remain damp from the initial washing, so do not place in sunlight or near a heat source.

During the days that the stain will remain engulfed in laundry detergent, the soap will actively break down the stain. Waiting the full two day minimum will make it easy to remove rust stains. You can throw the soiled garment in with another load of clothes. Like the initial wash, the water should be cold.

When you remove the item from the wash, you should be pleasantly delighted to see that the stain is gone.